Book of the month, blogs, and bookshops…

First up, I need to let you know The Daemon Parallel is Book of the Month on the Discover Kelpies website. You can read an interview — tackling questions like how-to-name monsters, and the one book all kids should read — and answer a REALLY VERY EASY question to win a signed copy…

Go on – give it a go!

DP is also Book of the Month on Books from Scotland, and you might like to know I’ve guest-blogged for Scottish Book Trust (talking about the original idea for Daemon Parallel) and Ripley’s Enchanted Books (on becoming a writer…)

*deep breath*

Some reviews are also up…

The first was courtesy of author Paul Magrs. I’ve been reading Paul for a long time, ever since chancing across his brilliant debut novel Marked for Life, so his thoughtful and positive comments meant a lot to me. (If you don’t know Paul’s work, younger readers might like to start with Exchange — grown-ups might like to start with Never the Bride).

I’ve also been reviewed by fellow Kelpies Prize nominee Daniela Sacerdoti. We’ve stayed in touch since that nail-biting ceremony last august. As she says in her post, it’s ‘always a bit weird to read and review a friend’s book. I was quite anxious…  in case I didn’t enjoy it“…so I’m hugely relieved she did. (Daniela’s first novel, Watch Over Me, was published last year; Dreams, the first book in the Sarah Midnight YA trilogy, is out tantalizingly soon).

*another deep breath*

Finally, an old friend sent me this marvelous pic of Daemon Parallel, newly arrived among the dreaming spires of Dubai. And I was really excited to find DP on the Our Favourite Books shelves at George Street Waterstones, with a lovely write-up by Steph and Kate (I see it’s also been papped at friendly local independent The Edinburgh Bookshop at the launch of Jen Campbell’s Weird Things Customers Say in Bookshops…)

Word-of-mouth, reviews and recommendations are so important and mean so much to a new writer. So thank you to all those who have taken the time to support me.

update: I should also quickly add I’ve been asked to do a reading/interview/signing at  Pulp Fiction book shop, Edinburgh on 23 May 2012 – book FREE tickets here
More details to come!